Cancer Connect: talk to someone who has experienced cancer

When you have cancer, talking to someone who has been through a similar cancer experience can be helpful, reassuring and encouraging.

“I am so deeply grateful for this service. It was critical and so uplifting to talk to someone who could identify where I was coming from. Tremendous support.”

You can access Cancer Connect one to one telephone peer support when you are:

newly diagnosed with cancer

undertaking cancer treatment

encountering cancer survivorship issues

Cancer Connect peer support is provided by a volunteer who is:

recovered from a similar cancer experience

specially trained to provide telephone peer support

supported by health professionals

A Connect volunteer can listen to you with unique understanding and share their experiences and ways of coping. They can provide practical information and emotional support to meet your individual needs. You may want to talk about:

cancer diagnosis

surgery type

treatment regimes and side effects

physical changes and appearance

feelings and recurrence anxiety

relationships and the perspectives of others

financial and lifestyle changes

your age and children

“The volunteer gave me hope. I had a lot of questions and she gave me great tips about getting back to ‘normal’. I need to go back to work and am confident I can do it.”

To access the Cancer Connect program you can phone 02 9334 1870 or 13 11 20 to speak with a Cancer Connect consultant, or submit your details online here:

Cancer Council NSW would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work.We would also like to pay respect to the elders past and present and extend that respect to all other Aboriginal people.